September 2025 – In a world where energy infrastructure must be smarter, faster, and more resilient, eSmart Systems and Equinor are leading a pioneering researching collaboration: the Infrastructure for Faster, more Accurate Analytics (IFAA) project.

Born from eSmart Systems’ deep roots in artificial intelligence and formally approved by the Research Council of Norway, IFAA is more than a research initiative. It is a step into the future of infrastructure inspection and defect detection. The project has already delivered transformative innovations, including Adaptive AI, a patent-pending technology that drastically reduces retraining time for AI models and enables real-time tuning based on user feedback.

Recognizing the project’s potential to establish a new benchmark for how utilities harness AI, eSmart Systems identified an opportunity to push the limits of model training and automation in real-world conditions. By developing smarter, adaptive systems that can continuously learn from data and feedback, the project aims to help energy companies achieve faster insight generation, greater operational accuracy, and more proactive maintenance strategies. Equinor joined as a strategic partner, bringing decades of operational expertise and a shared vision for AI-driven transformation. Together, the teams are exploring the frontiers of computer vision and applying innovations such as AI that learns from fewer examples, creating step-change improvements in efficiency and accuracy.

At the heart of IFAA is a commitment to open innovation. While each partner retains their intellectual property, learnings are shared across sprints, creating a dynamic feedback loop that accelerates progress and deepens insight. Both companies noting advancements in defect detection and AI-driven inspection automation. The collaboration now looks ahead to further expanding its impact by exploring varied use cases within each organization to drive even greater operational value.

Together, eSmart Systems and Equinor are turning AI into practical solutions that deliver value today while aiming to drive a smarter, safer, and more resilient energy sector for the future.

About Equinor

Equinor is an international energy company committed to long-term value creation in a low-carbon future. The company is headquartered in Norway with around 25,000 employees and with offices in more than 20 countries.

About eSmart Systems

eSmart Systems is a global leader in AI-powered solutions for the inspection, analysis, and digitalization of critical grid infrastructure. Through our Grid Vision® platform, we help utilities transition from manual inspections to intelligent, image-based asset management, creating a digital inventory of their transmission and distribution networks. This enables improved asset data quality, safer operations, reduced inspection costs, and extended asset life. With more than 20 years of international experience, eSmart Systems supports utilities worldwide in building smarter, more resilient grids for the future.